Tripod for machine guns



J. F. O'MALLEY.

TRIPOD FO'R MACHINE GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-21,192l- 1,407,5 7, Patented Feb. 21 1922.

INVENTOR WITNESSES JOHN Fag 51$ OIMLAE' gimxan 97% 0%? ATTORNEYS J. F. OMALLEY.

TRIPOD FOR MACHINE GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1921.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

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Application filed January 21, 1921.

T all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that 1, JOHN FRANCIS OMA EY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Tripod for Machine Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to machine guns, such, for instance, as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,366,210, granted to me on January 18, 1921. i

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tripod for machine guns arranged to enable the gunner to sight the gun quickly and accurately andto hold the same firing.

Another object is to permit of firmly setting up the tripod on uneven, soft, or rocky ground.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and de scribed and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming'a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate' corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved tripod supporting machine gun;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the improved tripod;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the tripod with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the tripod base;

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the tripod on the line 5-5 of Figure 3; I

Figure 6 is a face view of the combined pointer and hub cap on the tripod body; and

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.

The tripod in its general construction comprises a single leg 10, a double leg 11, a tripod base 12, a tripod body 13 mounted to turn on the base 12 and carrying a balance bar 14 on which the machine gun 15 of any approved construction is secured. The tripod base 12 is provided on opposite sides with lugs and 21 carrying pivots 22, 23, on which are mounted to swing forks 24 and 25 on the upper ends of the legs 10 and 11. The

securely in adjusted position during 1 u z m ill-i ll Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

Serial no. 438,944.

lugs 20 and 21 are providedon their peripheral faces with worm teeth 26 and 27 in mesh with worms 28 and 29 secured or formed. on shafts 30 and 31 journaled in the forks 24 and 25. The upper ends of the shafts 30 and 31 are provided with suitable knobs or handles 32 and 33 to permit of conently adjusted one of the other to permit of accuratelysetting up the tripod in the desired position. The side faces of the forks 24 and 25 are preferablyprovided with disk graduations 34 and 35 on which indicate pointers 36 and 37 formed on the lugs 20 and 21 thus enabling the gunner to accurately adjust the legs 10 and 11 to a predetermined position' prior to engaging the ends of the legs 10 and 11 with the ground. The legs 10 and 11 are provided at their ends with suitably pointed plates 38 and 39 to obtain a firm holdon the ground.

In the base 12 is mounted to turn a shaft 40 depending from a collar 41 integral with the underv side of-the tripod body 13, the

collar being seated in a seat 42 formed" in the upper end of the base 12. 1 By the arrangement described the tripod body'13 can be conveniently turned in the base 12 and at the same time a firm seat for the tripod body 13 is provided on the base 12. In order to indicate the position of the tripod body 13 on the base 12 the peripheral face of the upper portion of the base 12 is provided with a graduation 45 indicating degrees and on which indicates a pointer 46 having a shank 47 secured in the lower portion of the tripod body 13.

The balance bar 14 is provided at its forward end with a seat 50 on which the machine gun 15 is secured by suitable screws 51 or other fastening devices, and the said balance bar 14 is mounted to swing on a pivot 52 held on the upper end (if the tripod body 13.. The rear end of the balance bar 14 is connected by a pivot 53 with the upper fork end 54 of a screw rod 55, on which screws the hub 56 of a wheel 57 under the control of the gunner. The hub 56 is provided with a collar 58 and is journaled in a suitable bearing 59 formed on the tripod body 13 and having a cap 60 removably fastened in position by. screws, bolts or other fastening devices 61. It will be noticed that on removing the cap 60 the hub 56 screwing on the screw rod 55 can be readily placed in position in the bearing 59 or removed therefrom whenever it is desired to do so for repairs or other purposes. T he peripheral face, of the wheel 57 is provided with a graduation (35 on which indicates a pointer 66 attached to or forming part of the cap 60. is understood that on the gunnerturning the wheel 57 the screw rod 55 is moved up or down according to the direction in which the wheel 5'? is turned, and this up and down movement given to the screw rod 55 causes the balance bar 14 to swing correspondingly thus elevating or loweringthe machine gun 15 to enable the gunner'to obtain'correct sight to a distant object tobe fired on. It is understood that in addition to the up' and down swinging movement given to the machine gun 15 the latter can be turned bodily with the tripod body 13 journaled on the tripod base 12.

.By having the two graduations and 65 operating in conjunction with the pointers 46 and 66 the gunner is enabled to position accurately the 'machine gun relative to a distant object to be fired on. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent a 1. A tripod for a vmachine' gun, comprising a base, legs pivoted to the base, inde pendent means for swinging each leg on its pivot, a tripod body 'mounted'to' turn on the said base, a balance bar fulcrumed on the said tripod body and adapted to support at one end the machine gun, and an adjusting device mounted on the said tripod body swinging 'Inotion'to the legs relative to the tripod base.

3. In a tripod for machine guns, a tripod base provided with lugs having fixed worms and pivots disposed centrally relatively to the worms, legs mounted to swing on the said pivots, and worm wheels mounted to turn on the legs and engaging the corre sponding worms. 7

l n a tripodfor machine guns, a tripod base provided with fixed lugs having worm teeth at their peripheral faces, pivots centrally held on the said lugs, legs'mounted to swing on the said pivots, worm wheels in mesh with the said worm teeth on' the lugs, shafts journaled on the said legs and carrying the said worm wheels, and manually controlled means for turning the said shafts.

5. In a tripod for a machine gun, a tripod base, legs pivotally connected with the said base, a tripod body provided with a depending'shaft journaled in the said tripod base, a scale and a pointertherefor, one being on the base and the other on the body to indicate the turning movement of the body on the base, a balance bar pivoted on the said tripod body and on one end'ofwhich bar the machine gun is mounted, a screw rod pivotally connected with the other end of the said balance bar, a wheel having a hub journaled in the said tripodbody and screwing on the said screw rod, and a scale and pointer therefor, one beingon the said wheel and the other on the tripod body.

1 JOHN FRANCIS OMALLEY. 

